Sunday, March 01, 2009

Felons caught with guns? Alaska arrests warm my heart

Good job, police and US Attorney's office in Alaska. Indictments have just been handed down against Daniel Cox and Simon McCamy for possessing firearms.

Now as I'm a serious pro-gun guy, the thought of my fellow pro-gun Americans facing jail for such a thing would normally have me very upset. However in this case, since both Cox and McCamy are convicted felons, I very much approve.

The U.S. Attorney's office says Cox was found in possession of a firearm while in Anchorage last November, but has three felony convictions for drug misconduct, robbery and theft. McCamy was found with a firearm on three different occasions during a two-month period between last August and October, and each time is a violation after his previous felony conviction for driving under the influence. So now Cox is looking at ten years, and McCamy is looking at ten years times three--one hit for each occurrence. And I know that some of the whackos that infest the gun forums out there will not agree, but I hope they both get some time out of this.

You see, I'm one of those Americans who obeys the laws. I respect my fellow citizens and do not victimize or endanger them. I don't murder, rape, steal, rob people at gunpoint, deal or even use drugs, or habitually drive drunk. More to the point, I don't consider the small minority of people who do these things to be my peers or people that I want to see going around armed. Frankly, it's specifically because of people like this that I and other law-abiding Americans own guns. So for me to support the idea that these fools have some sort of undeniable right to own guns is ludicrous.

I have such a right. My friends and most people that I know have that right, too. It's the right guaranteed to us by the Second Amendment. But that right, like all of the others, is not absolute. It was written to ensure the right of the individual citizen to stand up with other members of his community against any threat to himself or that community, and it's generally accepted that it was meant as a defense against the tyranny of either a foreign government or our own if if becomes abusive, but I don't think that anyone would disagree that it was also meant to protect the right of the citizen to protect himself and his property from the garden-variety violent criminals that were as much a problem in the 1700's as they are today. I cannot imagine our Founding Fathers all agreeing that King George's troops should have an equal right to use firearms to oppress the citizens of the newly-created "America", and neither can I imagine them saying that the highwaymen and other career criminals who preyed on the traveler, the homeowner, or the shopkeeper in that day were entitled to that consideration.

To they contrary, I personally hold that such criminals, by their own actions, set themselves apart from the citizenry at large and become a separate and distinct class. They are not us any more. They are the enemy of every law-abiding American, just as King George's troops once were. As such, certain rights and privileges that belong to the law-abiding American citizen no longer apply to them. We as a nation decided long ago that it wasn't in this nation's interest to let felons vote or own dangerous weapons, as these people have proven that they cannot be trusted and they lack the honor, integrity and/or judgment to do the right thing. Now in recent years, the Democrats have chosen to return to many felons the right to vote, since that sort of person overwhelmingly votes Democrat, but there aren't many of us who want to give felons the right to own firearms, particularly felons who are felons because they've misused firearms in the past. As far as I know, practically the only people who argue for the right of the convicted felon to be able to own firearms are convicted felons themselves, and the odd-ball Libertarian fringe nutters, most of whom also think that Ron Paul is Presidential material.

But I don't support convicted felons owning guns. I don't see them as my comrades-in-arms, standing ready to oppose any threat from invasion or civil unrest when Obama's policies crash our economy and curtail our liberties, nor do I see them as members of my local Neighborhood Watch. (Yeah, I really want to ask the local career burglar to watch my house when I go on vacation...) I actually feel better knowing that said burglar and the local drug dealer can be tossed right back into prison just for being caught with a gun in their possession. To me, it's another tool for getting unrepentant scumbags off of our streets, and as I'm 100% anti-scumbag, I'm good with that.

So I support keeping criminals disarmed by law, and jailing those who decide to arm themselves in defiance of the law. To that end, I'm glad to see Cox and McCamy off our streets, and hope to someday see every other Cox or McCamy clone out there scooped up and jailed as well. Criminals who are in prison for ten years following a "felon in possession" hit can't murder my friends, rob my favorite stores, carjack my mother, sell drugs to my neighbor's kids, or break into my house. And criminals who go around unarmed because they fear going to prison for one of those ten-year hits are much less of a threat to the community and much less likely to injure or kill someone that I care about.

So let's keep those prosecutions rolling, in Alaska and in the rest of the country as well. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms belongs to every law-abiding American, and I will aggressively defend the right of every law-abiding American to do just that, but those who use guns to prey on law-abiding Americans got nothing coming as far as I'm concerned. They chose to forfeit that right and they have no one to blame but themselves.

Enforce the existing gun laws? But, but, but...that would solve the whole "gun crime" problem and then a certain political party wouldn't be able to use crime as an excuse for wanting to disarm everyone, particularly the people who might oppose their plans to socialize and nationalize this great, once-free country.

'Firearm possession' by felons is a little more complex than a total blanket ban.

In several states convicted felons are eligible for possession of pre-1899 muzzleloading long guns or replicas of same, and until the Federal ban on transfer of cartridge firearms to felons many states allowed modern long gun ownership by felons after release. I suspect many still do, not knowing they're violating the law.

I'm a little confused as to how the one guy somehow got caught with guns THREE TIMES (or did I misread?). I would think a single instance would be a no-brainer conviction for even the world's laziest DA!

A few months later I was asked to report to the Sherrif's dept. and found out that the driver of the car that day had basically been a ringleader and had involved six other students. I knew then (and even when it ocurred!) that I should have left that scene immediately and gone straight to the authorities. I was devastated! I had served and gone to war for my country and was trying to get a college degree, then I ALLOWED myself to become part of a 'tangled web'. Since,of course, I was there and did not go to the authorities, I was in fact as guilty as the others. We went to court and I told what had transpired when I was with them as did the other non-driver. The others that I didn't know about also told the truth. BUT the driver (the ringleader) denied all and because of him a 5-day trial took place. He was found guilty and we all received the same sentence....4-6 years and 6-8 years to run conncurrently. Six months later it was reduced to 2-4 years and we were parolled on condition that we return to school. Four months later,we received a pardon of Executive clemency from the Governor, including the ringleader who denied all. I went on from there to be employed for 36 years, active in my community and NEVER had a problem again. Today I'm 64 years old and recently found out that I am still on record as a 'Felon'. We thought that was pardoned, but something wasn't addressed.I am a member of NRA,I am hardcore pro-military and I'm very conservative in my politics. But I want you to know that I am NOT a 'scumbag'! I've been an ultra law-biding citizen who loves my country with a passion! My stupidity was not an act of violence and was not done with a firearm. I am a very responsible human being who made a very foolish decision 41 years ago. I do not know how those other students fared in life, but that is their business. I know that I made a good,solid life for me and my family. But I'm not a 'scumbag' or 'trash'. I would say that I would be more responsible with firearms than the majority that are allowed to have them. Thank you for your time and I appreciate your reading this.

A few months later I was asked to report to the Sherrif's dept. and found out that the driver of the car that day had basically been a ringleader and had involved six other students. I knew then (and even when it ocurred!) that I should have left that scene immediately and gone straight to the authorities. I was devastated! I had served and gone to war for my country and was trying to get a college degree, then I ALLOWED myself to become part of a 'tangled web'. Since,of course, I was there and did not go to the authorities, I was in fact as guilty as the others. We went to court and I told what had transpired when I was with them as did the other non-driver. The others that I didn't know about also told the truth. BUT the driver (the ringleader) denied all and because of him a 5-day trial took place. He was found guilty and we all received the same sentence....4-6 years and 6-8 years to run conncurrently. Six months later it was reduced to 2-4 years and we were parolled on condition that we return to school. Four months later,we received a pardon of Executive clemency from the Governor, including the ringleader who denied all. I went on from there to be employed for 36 years, active in my community and NEVER had a problem again. Today I'm 64 years old and recently found out that I am still on record as a 'Felon'. We thought that was pardoned, but something wasn't addressed.I am a member of NRA,I am hardcore pro-military and I'm very conservative in my politics. But I want you to know that I am NOT a 'scumbag'! I've been an ultra law-biding citizen who loves my country with a passion! My stupidity was not an act of violence and was not done with a firearm. I am a very responsible human being who made a very foolish decision 41 years ago. I do not know how those other students fared in life, but that is their business. I know that I made a good,solid life for me and my family. But I'm not a 'scumbag' or 'trash'. I would say that I would be more responsible with firearms than the majority that are allowed to have them. Thank you for your time and I appreciate your reading this.

Good morning. I graduated from high school in 1963 at seventeen and the next morning left for Parris Island for USMC recruit training. I spent four years active and served 13 months in Vietnam in the infantry 1965-1966. I was honorable discharged in June of 1967. I then went to a university in North Carolina. About 18 months later I made a very foolish move. A couple of other students came by my room on a boring Sunday afternoon and asked if I wanted to go for a drive through the mountains and see some of the area where summer homes are located (unoccupied at that time of year...winter term). Sounded like a plan for a boring Sunday, so I went.This area was located about 30 miles from campus and we seemed to be the only ones around period.. When we reached the area and the driver was cruising around, he stopped. He and the other student walked up a hill to a summer home and went around back. I got out of the car and walked around for a couple of minutes and when they did not return, I went to the back area. I didn't see them and hollared. I heard one of them call to me. They were in the house! I walked up to the back door and stepped inside. They had broken a small window pane and gone into the home. They were stealing little things like a blanket, record player, etc. I was thinking 'Oh God, what have I gotten myself into!'. I asked these guys what the hell they were doing. They essentially replied 'Don't worry about it' and were laughing and carrying on. Here I was 30 miles up in the mountains, in someone else's vehicle and on a back road...I basically didn't know were I was. I told these guys to take me back to campus and that I wanted no part of this crap. They said OK, but then made four other 'stops' as I sat in the back. I just should have walked away and found some way back to campus, but I finally demanded they take me back, which they did. Over the next few days I thought about going to the local Sheriff's dept. and reporting it, but I decided to keep it to myself. But young people have a tendency to tell others about their 'exploits', college kids NOT excluded. Another student turned one of the other's name over to the Dean of men. So you know how that works.

By the way...I do hope that you find your rich playboy model.I'm guessing that you lost your lower leg in either Iraq or Afganistan. If so, thank you for your service. Yodon't have to post this unless you care to.

I agree for the most part and I did say MOST. Most felons are career criminals that go in and out of jail/prison their whole life. However there are some PEOPLE that just made a dumb mistake. I am one of those people I didnt really have great friends and had some of their things at my house which happend to be stolen and I ended up getting charged with a possession of stolen goods in excess of X amount of money. I was 18 years old at the time and have not ever been in trouble in any way shape or form since then and I am now 27. I have never harmed anyone I paid for what wrong I did(Even though I personally never did anything to anyone). I own my own house and have a pretty nice job and have been with my company for over 7 years now. I am more responsible and honest than probably 75% of the people that are allowed to own firearms. My honesty is actually what got me convicted of the crime in the first place had I just lied I would still be what you would classify as a normal citizen today or "Brother in arms".

not all crimes or violent i was 23 and got caught with less than a 1/4 gram of meth i am a felon because i liked to party it was 10 years ago no arrests couple of speeding tickets and ive lost the right to defend my family from the gang bangers and crack heads

Sorry, Anonymous, but you made the choice. You knew that possession of meth was illegal and you presumably knew that a felony would keep you from being allowed to own a gun. Your call all the way, so I can't really sympathize.

And if barring you also means that lots of other people who haven't managed to abstain from further criminal activity are kept disarmed, well I'm ok with that. Greatest good for the greatest number of people.

What most people fail to realize is this.. A person who has been convicted of a felony may or may not be a "Bad" person. These days it is much easier to catch a felony violation. It seems like every other week a law is changed so that what once was a minor infraction becomes a very serious felony.

Some felons in my opinion don't deserve the penalties they face. Guns are sometimes part of a problem and other times have nothing to do with it at all. A person with a drug possesion conviction or a dui who has not acted wrecklessly with a gun should not be penalised as if he had been.

There are people in society who are real criminals and no law is going to change the way they act, felon or not they will carry a gun and use it in a destructive way. Getting caught really doesn't matter, they do their time, get back out and find another gun. These people can't be fixed.

There are felons however who will obide and will not posses guns. Coincidently these people are productive members of society who have something to offer and are of some value to their community.

Drugs and Alcohol are a terrible thing, I know from expierence. While I never got involved with drugs I did have a serious problem with Alcohol. I've been convicted of a felony ( 3rd DUI ) and have lost my gun rights. I'm a hunter, and have always been extreamly responsible with firearms. I feel its appropriate for anyone who has never used a firearm to be properly supervised and trained, and any young hunter should take the hunters safety course.

I've never been violent toward another human being and obviously don't have a violent criminal record. My crime was DUI and it involed alcohol and an automobile, not a gun. I fully agree with the price I paid for my crime. I spent 3 months in jail, paid a $10,000 fine, spent a month in treatment ( another $8,000 ), served 2 years of probation, had my truck siezed by the state, and lost my drivers license forever. I'm sober now and have been ever since I was arrested 3 years ago, It was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I still hunt, I just use a bow now, guns never really mattered too me that much anyway. What does matter to me is my right to posses them. Like I said before, some people are real criminals and they don't care about the laws. As far as they're concerned there are no laws and if they want a gun they will get one. Meanwhile I hunt with my bow because thats whats allowed.

I own 4 guns left to me by my father. Im 34 finishing my BA degree and work 40 hours a week. 15 years ago at age 18 I purchased 7 pairs of stolen sunglasses from someone who had stolen them and guess what, it was a felony. It never involved weapons, missuse of weapons or violence.

15 years later I'm not a stupid 18 year old ready to plea to anything just to avoid spending time in jail.. You can't tell me nor lump me into any group especialy a gang banging thugish group. I plan to go on to be a security consultant and who knows what the future holds, sure past decisions make some things harder and some inpossible but I get to have as nice of life as I work for. End of story. I'm waiting for someone to take it to the supreme court. I do agree though that any type of violence including sex offence should be barred from even owning a pocket knife.

Just remember the "Self Appointed Disenfranchised" may become a tool in a mechanism, whether it is intended by design or not, that shall be used to limit the freedoms of us all. Security will come to us at the cost of our own liberties and freedoms. The control devices imposed by the state used to circumvent potential threats to the people are placed in a manner which often deals with the symptomatology of failing community, Poorly managed organisations, failing family, and individuals who have fallen out of touch with there fellow man. We now live in a world driven by the forces of organised selfishness, and we are all contributers to the condition's that foster and develop contempt and disenfranchisement, though it may be hard to see from the window of our condo, farm house, or suburban rambler. There are millions of people who feel disconnected and discontent. If we as individuals, families and communities cannot deal with our own problems and then help to heal others of what afflicts them as well, then perhaps we all should lose a bit of our unearned and undeserved liberty. The issue is greater than one man and a gun but rather the ability and responsibility of each of us to change who we are as a people. This is why Babylon always falls.

I was researching alaska gun laws to try and find out if a rumor i heard was true, I have heard, that in the state of alaska, felons can in fact have firearms after 10 years after their felony conviction is said and done. example, if you were convicted of a felony in 2000, and your felony probation ended in 05, in 2015, you can have a gun. I found this hard to believe, but during research it appears to true. I personally don't think people with certain or violent convictions should be able to do so, for example myself, i was convicted of a felony when i was 18 for theft by receiving, this is no violent crime, and it wouldn't have even been a felony except for the amount of money the item(s) was worth.the thing I do not know and am trying to find out, is do you have to go to court or is this something that is just automatic.I've even witnessed a convicted felon from 15 yrs ago tell a officer he had firearms in the house and they really didn't seem to care at all, they asked him where it was, it was in a drawer in the kitchen, they got it, looked at it, said ok, and put it back. i thought he was going to jail for sure. but this law is to possess, not to conceal on persons.

It is only federal if it crosses state lines....also make your own ammo and buy pre 1899 guns jan 1 1899 is the cut off.I personally make paper cartridges for all my guns i have 26 in total,i even carry a 44 on my hip that is round ball..And oh yeah i was convicted of felonies but have been out of trouble for 20 years so i am still evil...lol ..i will be the one saving your axx if the shxx ever hits the fan...we are all americans the 2 amenedment doesnt say if convicted of a felony i cant have a gun,it says shall not infringe.... all the gun laws were put into effect because of the mob and by the way you dont have to be a felon anything over 1 yr jail time ....so if i drive a car and run people over do i lose my car rights..if i hang people do i lose my rope rights.. If everyone had a gun the crime rate would drop...who is gonna walk into a bank and rob it knowing everyone inside is packing heat.plus we would reduce prison population as alot of felons would just get shot which would inturn save the tax payers millions..wow may save our economy...let everyone have a gun and if you cant be responsible and want to commit crimes then you will end up dead if everyone has one.by the way i have a wife 2 daughters and pay our great nation over 60 thousand a year in taxes.

For you to call one of these guys scumbag is just you being stupix you have no idea if the curcumstances that led to.him being charged with this possession charge!!! Do some research before you go bashing innocent people!!! He is not one of those people that do.not deserve to have his gun rights taken away!! His felony came from a stupid chaege in the first place!! All you have done is shown how stupid you are!!!

I'm not sure which one of these two guys that you're cheerleading for, but both Cox and McCamy have significant criminal records, not just "one possession charge" as you claim. Read the story. Cox IS a scumbag who apparently steals from people when he's not getting caught with drugs. I don't want him armed or even out in society among the rest of us. And McCamy has a felony DUI which means that he has multiple prior misdemeanor DUIs and he still drinks and drives. And he's also been caught with guns post-felony conviction THREE TIMES already, so the dumb bastard clearly doesn't learn and won't change his ways. Screw him too. Of maybe Cox can do that since, with any luck, both are now long-term bunkmates in a federal prison.

Ever heard of someone changing their ways??? McCamy is in fact not in prison!!! So do your research!!! And he has since turned his life around and an active pillar of the community!! So take your comments and shove them where the sun dont shine!!!!

As a matter of fact in a year he will be able to get his gun rights back. Just because he had a DUI does not mean that he was dangerous with a gun. You dont know the situation that got him the DUI in the first place. So you have no right to judge him.

Christina, the article says that his last DUI was a felony. He did't get that just because he only had one before, and that back when he was a minor. Sorry, but you apparently don't know the truth behind his record or else you're deliberate;y misrepresenting it. And why he got his DUIs doesn't matter. The fact is that he drank and got behind the wheel of a car. There's no excusing that, especially not multiple times. And I don't need to judge him because a court already did. I can, however, look upon his conduct with disdain. And then we have him getting caught with a gun three more times after his felony conviction? At what point does he realize that he needs to stop carrying a gun and stop doing stuff that make the police contact him and find the gun? The police wouldn't even have reason to find those guns if he wasn't doing something else wrong to get their attention. And each of those busts is a felony too, sweetie.You love the guy. I get it. Maybe you're his new baby mama. Whatever. The guy's own record indicates that he's immature and that he doesn't respect the law and that he can't even live his life in such a way that the police aren't always up in his business. If I were you, I'd go find a stable guy who can stay out of trouble, ideally one who just gets up and goes to work every day at a straight job.

The "article" that you are referring to was incorrect and was retracted in the paper later that week..do your research. His felony was not from DUIs it was from something that dis not even include guns or driving or drugs.. i do know all the facts and the correct facts..you on the other hand have no clue and are basing your blog on incorrect facts. And for your information he does get up every morning and goes to work 6 days a week 70 hours a week! You on ths other hand should think about getting a real job and stop playing on the computer putting your opnion out there about things and someone you know nothing about!